Windows Update Cleanup in Windows 8

Brink · Apr 10, 2014

How to Use Windows Update Cleanup in Windows 8 and 8.1

Information

Windows Update Cleanup is an option in Disk Cleanup that you can use to have Windows automatically delete Windows updates that you no longer need to free up hard drive space.

This tutorial will show you how to use Windows Update Cleanup to delete outdated Windows updates from the WinSxS folder (component store) to free up hard drive space in Windows 8 and 8.1.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

Note

The Windows Update Cleanup option is available only when the Disk Cleanup wizard detects Windows updates that you do not need on the computer.

To let you roll back to previous updates, updates are stored in the WinSxS store even after they are superseded by later updates. Therefore, after you run the Disk Cleanup wizard, you may be unable to roll back to a superseded update. If you want to roll back to a superseded update that the Disk Cleanup wizard deletes, you can manually install the update.

Here's How:

1. Press the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog, type cleanmgr, and press Enter.

2. If you have more than one hard drive, select the C: drive, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

3. Click/tap on the Clean up system files button. (see screenshot below)

4. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

5. If you have more than one hard drive, then repeat step 2 above.

6. Check the Windows Update Cleanup box, and click/tap on OK.

NOTE: Notice how much space disk space you will gain. This can be GBs.

7. Click/tap on Delete Files to confirm. (see screenshot below)

Note

If you like, you can view the details of what will be deleted listed in the dism.log below before clicking on "Delete Files".

%SystemRoot%\Logs\DISM\dism.log

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

Urthboundmisfit · Nov 14, 2014

Hello Shawn, I have a couple of questions/issues regarding WU cleanup on Win 8.1 - in Windows 7 there is a way to check for & see what packages are queued for deletion/cleanup in a log called "deepclean.log" as described here by UsernameIssues... there appears to be no such log in 8.1 nor is there any reference to "adding" package(s) in the cbs.log. Is there another/different log/output in Win 8.1?

The other issue is WU Cleanup itself... it has been "running" a VERY long time and the progress bar is only at around 40%. Is this normal/to be expected? Please edumacate me as I have installed & been using 8.1 for only 2 days & am still feeling my way around so to speak.

Edit to add: Cleanup finally completed after about 35 minutes and here are the pertinent entries in CBS.log:

Code:

2014-11-14 04:45:17, Info                  CBS    Maint: Deepclean: Trying to uninstall package Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4
2014-11-14 04:45:17, Info                  CBS    Appl: detect Parent, Package: Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, Parent: Microsoft-Windows-Client-Features-Package-AutoMerged-admin~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.9600.16384, Disposition = Detect, VersionComp: EQ, ServiceComp: EQ, BuildComp: EQ, DistributionComp: GE, RevisionComp: GE, Exist: present
2014-11-14 04:45:17, Info                  CBS    Appl: detectParent: package: Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, parent found: Microsoft-Windows-Client-Features-Package-AutoMerged-admin~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.9600.16384, state: Installed
2014-11-14 04:45:17, Info                  CBS    Appl: detect Parent, Package: Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, disposition state from detectParent: Installed
2014-11-14 04:45:17, Info                  CBS    Appl: Evaluating package applicability for package Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, applicable state: Installed

2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CSI    [email protected]/11/14:09:46:43.491 CSI Transaction @0xca6e085b00 destroyed
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Perf: Stage chain complete.
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Perf: Execute chain started.
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Perf: Entering stage: Install/Uninstalling
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Not trying hotpatching because root package is not hotpatch-aware: Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CSI    [email protected]/11/14:09:46:43.491 CSI Transaction @0xca6e085b00 initialized for deployment engine {d16d444c-56d8-11d5-882d-0080c847b195} with flags 00000002 and client id [79]"TI4.30408686_2642874344:4/Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4"

2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Uninstall package: Package_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Uninstall package: Package_for_KB2918614_RTM~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Uninstall package: Package_for_KB2918614_RTM_GM~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Uninstall package: Package_2_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Uninstall package: Package_2_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, Update: 2918614-2_neutral_GDR
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Unprojecting Package: Package_2_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, Update: 2918614-2_neutral_GDR, UninstallDeployment: amd64_d5aa9cc7683e94407683e8913b572e15_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17198_none_e562adfcccf7feee
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Appl: Selfupdate, Component: amd64_microsoft-windows-installer-handler_31bf3856ad364e35_0.0.0.0_none_5ed31a4d4c573af1 (6.3.9600.17399), elevation:5, lower version revision holder: 6.3.9600.17198
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Unpinning Package: Package_2_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, Update: 2918614-2_neutral_GDR, UnpinDeployment: amd64_d5aa9cc7683e94407683e8913b572e15_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17198_none_e562adfcccf7feee
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Uninstall package: Package_2_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, Update: 2918614-3_neutral_GDR
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Unprojecting Package: Package_2_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, Update: 2918614-3_neutral_GDR, UninstallDeployment: amd64_798a95ad7ef569bbd66328a75afed2c1_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17198_none_74a2588e9328b4df
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Appl: Selfupdate, Component: amd64_microsoft-windows-installer-engine_31bf3856ad364e35_0.0.0.0_none_83730f5cb40c6c6d (6.3.9600.17278), elevation:4, lower version revision holder: 6.3.9600.17198
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Appl: Selfupdate, Component: amd64_microsoft-windows-installer-engine_31bf3856ad364e35_0.0.0.0_none_83730f5cb40c6c6d (6.3.9600.17399), elevation:5, lower version revision holder: 6.3.9600.17278
2014-11-14 04:46:43, Info                  CBS    Exec: Unpinning Package: Package_2_for_KB2918614~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.4, Update: 2918614-3_neutral_GDR, UnpinDeployment: amd64_798a95ad7ef569bbd66328a75afed2c1_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17198_none_74a2588e9328b4df

[COLOR=#ff0000](There are many more entries for KB2918614, packages 2, 3, 4 etc which were removed)[/COLOR]

2014-11-14 04:46:46, Info                  CBS    Maint: Deepclean: packages removed: 1

2014-11-14 05:20:50, Info                  CBS    Maint: end scavenge, [B]scavenge time so far: 2001 seconds[/B]

So my second question still remains; Is this a "normal" amount of time for WU cleanup to run?

Brink · Nov 14, 2014

Hello Joe,

The amount of time it takes to cleanup Windows Update depends on how much it needs to clean up and how fast your system is, but yeah it could easily take that long with large GB amounts.

I see it listed in the "%SystemRoot%\Logs\DISM\dism.log" for Windows 8.1, but it seems that there's not a "%SystemRoot%\Logs\CBS\DeepClean.log" anymore.

Urthboundmisfit · Nov 14, 2014

Thank you for confirming, Shawn. This was the initial scan after fresh install & about 80 or so updates, I imagine subsequent cleanups should be speedier, no?

I have 7 installed on my SSD & I am testing Win 8.1 on the (slower 5400 rpm) HDD that came with the laptop, eventually will dual boot 7 & 8.1 on the faster SSD.

Brink · Nov 14, 2014

Yeah, it should be quicker next time with not as much to clean. The slower HDD would have slowed it down some as well.

Jesse Williams · Jan 16, 2015

When should I run Windows Update Cleanup?

Brink · Jan 16, 2015

williamsjesse17 said:

There's really no set time when you should since it's basically just optional maintenance to help free up hard drive space if needed.

However, I'd say that after you have installed a batch of Windows Updates and sure that you won't need to uninstall them after a week or so, that would be a good time.

Cliff S · Jan 16, 2015

To pimp Disk Cleanup a bit
---------------------------------
To clean more using windows Disk Cleanup:

Right-click Windows icon>choose Run> then type:

Code:

cleanmgr.exe sageset:10

Press Enter
In the window that appears - click Clean up system files

Jesse Williams · Jan 16, 2015

Cliff S said:

To pimp Disk Cleanup a bit
---------------------------------
To clean more using windows Disk Cleanup:

Right-click Windows icon>choose Run> then type:

Code:

cleanmgr.exe sageset:10

Press Enter
In the window that appears - click Clean up system files

Cliff, what do you mean by this?

Brink · Jan 16, 2015

That command opens an extended Disk Cleanup with more options.

Jesse Williams · Jan 16, 2015

Oh okay. I will have to remember that then.

David Bailey · Jan 16, 2015

I don't think you should clean the ESD files.

A quote---

Maybe someone else has better information.

Ex_Brit · Feb 16, 2015

I'm running an extended disk cleanup for the first time ever on mine and it's hung at cleaning Windows Update files for around 2 hours now, but according to Task Manager is still running without incident. This is a regular HDD - not an SSD. Normal behaviour?

Brink · Feb 16, 2015

Hey Peter,

It is a bit of a long time, but it could take a while if there is any corruption or a very large amount being cleaned up. It would be best to let it finish at long as there is activity.

David Bailey · Feb 16, 2015

Yep.
I use the extended cleanup.
It hangs for me too for a long time.

Ex_Brit · Feb 16, 2015

It has just finished, thank God LOL
Thanks guys.

Brink · Feb 16, 2015

Urthboundmisfit · Feb 16, 2015

Slllllooooowwww...

Same problem here. Fresh install of 8.1 Pro in VM, 2.5gb RAM 2 cores, fully patched, default programs. I started disk cleanup @ 6:58 pm; it found 18mb to remove... I left it running & checked every 15 mins or so. At 8:25 PM with the progress bar @ 50% or so & CPU @ 99% (diskclean & "Module Installer Worker" at around 49% each ) I canceled & shut it down

Win 8's diskclean/WU Cleanup is atrocious... 7's usually completes in about 10 mins or less for me

Urthboundmisfit · Feb 17, 2015

No %SystemRoot%\Logs\DISM\dism.log either

Screenshot:

Dialogue box message:

coldy · Mar 20, 2015

I like this, it work on my windows 7 system and windows 8.1 system. I'm happy now

Windows Update Cleanup in Windows 8

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